Photographer's Note

A one day tour to Be’er-Sheva, the 4th largest city in Israel, located in the northern part of the Negev-Desert.

The highlight of the visit was the Old-Turkish RR-station with the legendary no.70414 steam-engine locomotive.

Why a legendary engine? Besides what’s written in this Wikipedia page, one of Israel best known songs from the 1950th was telling its last day’s story… (You may recall, I told many times that we do not have active steam-engines in Israel – and truly never saw one riding). It is not operating since 1958, and only 14 of this British-made locomotives remain in the world.
The place is Ataturk-sq., the complex has the monument and statue, original RR station buildings built by the Turkish when ruled the land until 1917 (but that’s a diff. story), several wagons and this black giant locomotive. All within a newly built dwellings area.

Good day.
Nice view, interesting and good text ...
Good work with beautiful photographs of the workshop, beautifully demonstrated place with monuments and an old steam locomotive, a good kontarst and perspectives, beautiful color.
Have a nice and successful day, all the best.

I was surprised to learn that this was a railway station, the atmosphere, from the clean, sandy stone memorial and surrounding high rise buildings, giving quite a different impression. However, the train, with its long, lean, black lines tells a tale!
You have achieved fine balance with the tall monument and flags in the bottom corner and the buildings in the opposing corner.; the train links the two and contrasts by its dark colours.
Are you a steam train fan?
WE all seem to love the old engines in this country and any running steam trains are always a huge attraction!

Hello Ike,
A very nice capture of this charming little station and the large stream engine in front of it. It stands out very nicely against the warmer tones of the background. Also the composition is very effective, the monument is well included in the left hand foreground.
Lars

Your additional note with a picture is very well.
Your main picture with the locomotive in foreground is nice found.
Also the modern architecture makes your picture attractive.
Composition and presentation be superb.
Very well done, TFS.

The the flags are helping to frame the scene. The point of view is showing the details of the old locomotive and of the train station. The good luminosity is giving nice tints to the colours. Have a nice day.

Hello Ike,
Next time I go to Israel, I must visit this station. I can see the bust of Atatürk clearly to the right of the engine. At the rate events are turning out, we will soon have more busts of Atatürk outside of Turkey than inside (an exaggeration to make my point). I like the warm tones of your photo. The buildings in the background match the monument and the old terminal quite well.
One objection I have is to your use of the verb "occupy" in your note. Occupation usually refers to an entity's control over a territory which is not under the formal sovereignty of that entity, without the volition of the territory's actual sovereign. Until 1917, the Turks were sovereign over Palestine, so they did not occupy Palestine, they ruled it. (I must add they did not do a good job of ruling, though.) A technical point, I suppose.
Regards,
MT

Hello Ike,
Although I spent a very short time in Beer-Sheva in the summer of 1979, I didn't know the city had an Ataturk statue. In the WS I read that the station was declared a national site only in 1991.
The locomotive looks well maintained and shines in the daylight. No desert winds that put it under a layer of sand?
The building of the station looks beautiful and very cute. What a contrast with the new buildings behind it.
Interesting picture and note.
Best regards, Paul

Hello Ike, good photograph of this interesting composition with the old locomotive, very well captured in this interesting image, with good clarity, light, color and quality. Very good and interesting work perfectly done, my congratulations, my friend. Thank you for sharing this beautiful work.

Good night and happy start to the week.
Best wishes from the south of Spain.
Angel.